External energyless sample for determining the content of dissociable polar liquids

Abstract

A process for the formation of a sample which does not require any external energy for determining the content of dissociable polar liquids in gases, expanded bodies, pouring charges of granular material, or electrically non-conductive liquids. The invention further relates to the provision of a sample probe which does not require external energy and which is applicable to the implementation of the process. A powder having a grain size in the range of between about 0.001 to 1 mm of an electrically deformable material having a crystalline or amorphic structure with at least a partial ionic bond and a specific resistance of at least 10 5 Ohm/cm is compressed between two electrodes under a pressure of at least 100 bar, and continually maintained under pressure, whereby at least a portion of the components maintaining the powder under pressure is permeable to the moisture encompassing the sample.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a process for the formation of an external energy-less apparatus for the determination of the content of dissociable polar liquids in gases, expanded solid bodies, charges of granular material, or electrically non-conductive liquids; the improvement comprising: compressing powder having a grain size in the range of between 0.001 to 1 mm from an elastically deformable material of crystalline or amorphic structure with an at least partially ionic bond and a specific resistance of at least 10 5  Ohm/cm between components including two electrodes under a pressure of at least about 100 bar; and continually maintaining the powder under pressure whereby said permanently maintained pressure elastically deforms said powder and upon adsorption and desorption of molecules of said polar liquid produces a continuous current dependent upon the amount of adsorption and desorption of molecules of said polar liquid within the gas, liquid or solid being tested thereby indicating the content of polar liquids therein, and whereby at least a portion of the components maintaining the powder under pressure is permeable to moisture encompassing the apparatus. 
     
     
       2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the powder subjected to pressure is selected from the group consisting of Al 2  O 3 , SiO 2 , silicate strata, such as loam, pure clay, crystalline alumino silicate, zeolite, NaCl, MgO and ZnO. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus for the determination of the content of dissociable polar liquids in gases, expanded solid bodies, charges of granular material, or electrically non-conductive liquids, wherein said apparatus does not require external energy; comprising two oppositely spaced electrodes defining a space therebetween, at least one component pressure-tightly enclosing at least a portion of the space intermediate the electrodes; and a powder within the space subjected to pressure, said component permanently maintaining said powder under pressure, said powder having a grain size in the range of between 0.001 and 1 mm, consituted of an elastically deformable material of crystalline or amorphic structure with an at least partial ionic bond and a specific resistance of at least 10 5  Ohm/cm, wherein at least one electrode and at least a portion of the component pressure-tightly enclosing said sapce is permeable to moisture encompassing the apparatus, whereby said permanently maintained pressure elastically deforms said powder and upon adsorption and desorption of molecules of said polar liquid produces a continuous current dependent upon the amount of adsorption and desorption of molecules of said polar liquid within the gas, liquid or solid being tested thereby indicating the content of polar liquids therein. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of said electrodes is constituted of a porous, pressure-resistant and electrically conductive material. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electrode which is permeable to moisture is constituted of sintered metal, such as sintered steel, a metal mesh, or a ceramic member with a conductive layer superimposed thereon, such as an Al 2  O 3  member having a porous metal layer or graphite foil superimposed thereon. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the electrodes and the components pressure-tightly enclosing the space between the electrodes are dimensioned so as to maximize the ratio of the surface area of the space normal to the electrodes and the volume of the enclosed space. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, including a rod-like or tubular inner electrode; and an outer electrode encompassing the inner electrode, the material subjected to pressure being arranged between the electrodes. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the outer electrode consists of a metal mesh encompassed by a graphite foil. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, including two plate shaped electrodes, the material subjected to pressure being arranged between the electrodes. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the electrodes are disc-shaped. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, comprising an O-ring between the two electrode discs for pressure-tightly sealing the space containing the material subjected to pressure; and including two pressure discs for imparting pressure to the two electrode discs. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plate shaped electrodes are constituted of sintered CuBe metal.